Ronald E. Deiter

Member Awareness of Dairy Cooperative Services in the North Central Region

This article reports on member awareness and member evaluation of dairy cooperative services in the North Central Region. Members seem well informed about services provided by only a few cooperatives. Years of cooperative membership, size of a producers opration, awareness of the service by other members of the cooperative, and members attitude about the importance of services are found to have a significant effect on a members awareness. Contrary to recent allegations, members of larger cooperatives are most aware of services. Cooperative service policies seem consistent with member control. Finally it is demonstrated that selective member education programs that generate an increase in member awareness may not necessarily enhance member support.